‘I thought I was dead’: Shocking wildlife encounter caught on camera
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Unexpected encounters with wildlife can be awe-inspiring, but they can also take a shocking turn in an instant.
What started as a routine outdoor adventure quickly turned into a heart-stopping moment that defied belief.
What followed was an experience so rare and terrifying that it left those involved in disbelief.
A kayaker off Chilean Patagonia had a terrifying brush with nature when a humpback whale briefly swallowed him before quickly letting go.
The dramatic moment unfolded on 3 February 2025, when Adrián Simancas and his father, Dell, were kayaking in Bahía El Águila, near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan.
Without warning, a massive humpback whale surfaced beneath Adrián, engulfing both him and his bright yellow kayak for a few seconds before releasing him.
Dell, who was just metres away, filmed the shocking encounter while urging his son to stay calm.
‘Stay calm, stay calm,’ he was heard saying after Adrián resurfaced.
Adrián described the terrifying moment, saying, ‘I thought I was dead. I thought it had eaten me, that it had swallowed me.’
Though the ordeal lasted only a few seconds, Adrián admitted that his real fear set in after he was back in the water, worried for his father’s safety and fearing hypothermia in the freezing conditions.
‘When I came up and started floating, I was scared that something might happen to my father too, that we wouldn’t reach the shore in time, or that I would get hypothermia,’ he said.
Despite witnessing his son being swallowed, Dell remained focused, continuing to film while offering reassurance.
The footage, which quickly spread across social media, showed the whale’s massive jaws momentarily closing around Adrián before opening again, allowing him to escape unscathed.
After a brief struggle in the icy waters, Adrián managed to reach his father’s kayak, where he was pulled to safety.
The pair returned to shore shaken but unharmed.
The Strait of Magellan, located about 3000 km south of Santiago, is a popular destination for adventure seekers drawn to its rugged landscapes and challenging waters.
Even in summer, temperatures in the region can drop as low as 4 degrees, making survival in the open water difficult.
Although whale attacks on humans are rare in Chilean waters, the region has seen an increase in whale strandings and fatal collisions with cargo ships in recent years.
The shocking encounter was captured on video, showing the exact moment the massive whale engulfed the kayaker before quickly releasing him.
Watch the incredible footage below.
Close encounters with wildlife can be breathtaking, but this one was downright terrifying. Have you ever experienced an unexpected run-in with nature?
Share your story in the comments!
What started as a routine outdoor adventure quickly turned into a heart-stopping moment that defied belief.
What followed was an experience so rare and terrifying that it left those involved in disbelief.
A kayaker off Chilean Patagonia had a terrifying brush with nature when a humpback whale briefly swallowed him before quickly letting go.
The dramatic moment unfolded on 3 February 2025, when Adrián Simancas and his father, Dell, were kayaking in Bahía El Águila, near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan.
Without warning, a massive humpback whale surfaced beneath Adrián, engulfing both him and his bright yellow kayak for a few seconds before releasing him.
Dell, who was just metres away, filmed the shocking encounter while urging his son to stay calm.
‘Stay calm, stay calm,’ he was heard saying after Adrián resurfaced.
Adrián described the terrifying moment, saying, ‘I thought I was dead. I thought it had eaten me, that it had swallowed me.’
Though the ordeal lasted only a few seconds, Adrián admitted that his real fear set in after he was back in the water, worried for his father’s safety and fearing hypothermia in the freezing conditions.
‘When I came up and started floating, I was scared that something might happen to my father too, that we wouldn’t reach the shore in time, or that I would get hypothermia,’ he said.
Despite witnessing his son being swallowed, Dell remained focused, continuing to film while offering reassurance.
The footage, which quickly spread across social media, showed the whale’s massive jaws momentarily closing around Adrián before opening again, allowing him to escape unscathed.
After a brief struggle in the icy waters, Adrián managed to reach his father’s kayak, where he was pulled to safety.
The pair returned to shore shaken but unharmed.
The Strait of Magellan, located about 3000 km south of Santiago, is a popular destination for adventure seekers drawn to its rugged landscapes and challenging waters.
Even in summer, temperatures in the region can drop as low as 4 degrees, making survival in the open water difficult.
Although whale attacks on humans are rare in Chilean waters, the region has seen an increase in whale strandings and fatal collisions with cargo ships in recent years.
The shocking encounter was captured on video, showing the exact moment the massive whale engulfed the kayaker before quickly releasing him.
Watch the incredible footage below.
Close encounters with wildlife can be breathtaking, but this one was downright terrifying. Have you ever experienced an unexpected run-in with nature?
Share your story in the comments!
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